Hillingdon to complete landmark £20m green transformation of four major borough buildings

Major decarbonisation project delivers greener public buildings, £190k in projected annual energy savings and a 1,000-tonne reduction in carbon emissions 

Hillingdon Council is set to complete a major programme of energy efficiency improvements across four of the borough’s key public buildings, helping to reduce carbon emissions, cut energy costs and safeguard much-loved community facilities for future generations.

The ambitious project has been supported by £13.75 million from the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme, delivered by our teams at Salix on behalf of the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero.

The project has transformed Hillingdon Civic Centre, Hillingdon Sports and Leisure Complex, Highgrove Pool and Fitness Centre and the Winston Churchill Theatre.

The programme formed part of Hillingdon’s wider ambition to make its operations carbon neutral by 2030. With a total investment of more than £20 million, the project combined government funding with £5 million from the council and a further £7 million from developers’ carbon credit contributions.

The improvements are expected to deliver around £190,000 in annual energy savings and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by approximately 1,000 tonnes each year.

Greener technology for iconic buildings

At the Grade II listed Civic Centre in Uxbridge, the project included the installation of 30 air source heat pumps, replacing the building’s four main gas-powered boilers and enabling more efficient temperature control.

The installation has involved some impressive engineering, including cranes lifting large heat pumps into position. The project team also worked carefully around the building’s historic architecture, retaining its distinctive character while introducing modern, energy-efficient technology.

At Hillingdon Sports and Leisure Complex, the improvements have included the installation of some of the country’s largest air source heat pumps, known as Supanova models.

Highgrove Pool and Fitness Centre benefited from a range of upgrades, including improved insulation, secondary glazing, ventilation improvements and LED lighting. Meanwhile, energy efficiency works at the Winston Churchill Theatre were completed earlier in the programme, helping the much-loved Ruislip venue achieve net carbon zero operation.

Together, the four buildings represented a significant opportunity to reduce emissions, accounting for nearly half of the council’s corporate carbon footprint.

Investing in the borough’s future

The project was about more than reducing energy consumption. It also helped modernise public buildings, improve the experience of residents using them and extend their useful lives for decades to come.

The Civic Centre, in particular, has benefited from improvements that complement its historic features while supporting its evolving role as a community hub, including a brighter, more modern library and enhanced facilities.

A spokesperson from Hillingdon Council said: “This project was an essential upgrade to some of our least energy-efficient buildings and an investment that will deliver long-term savings and environmental benefits for the council and future generations.

“We strive to be brilliant at the basics, which includes ensuring the buildings we and residents rely on every day offer lasting value for money, improved energy efficiency and are fit for the future.”

Hillingdon Council said the improvements had given the buildings a new lease of life and brought it closer to its carbon reduction ambitions. It hopes the project will help extend the buildings’ useful life by at least 50 years, ensuring they could continue serving local communities well into the future.

The project marks a major milestone in Hillingdon Council’s commitment to sustainability, demonstrating how investment in greener technology can deliver lasting environmental, financial and community benefits.

Salix client support officer Milo Challiner said: “It’s hugely rewarding to see a project of this size reaching this point. It has been complex and it has involved some challenges, but it has certainly delivered for local people today and for the generations to come.

“Hillingdon earmarked complex and essential buildings for this work which are highly valuable assets in their communities. The Civic Centre and the community hub is an inspiring place to visit, where people can check out a book, get married, have a coffee and obviously houses the council teams.

“Local people can also now enjoy better environments at Hillingdon Sports and Leisure Complex and Highgrove Pool and Fitness Centre; these are now better set for the future.

“Of course, the Winston Churchill Theatre is iconic. We’re proud to have supported the teams to deliver for their local communities.”